"809. Ashbel5 Wells (Ebenezer4, Ichabod3, Thomas2, Gov. Thomas1), born and baptized 25 August 1734 (West Hartford Congregational Church Records, slip index citing 1:57); died 14 December 1806 (West Hartford Congregational Church Records, slip index citing 1:162). Ashbel was helpless from paralysis a number of years before his death (Welles (1968) 4:19).
The will of Ashbel Wells of Hartford, dated 2 March 1803, codicil 26 November 1803, and proved 15 June 1807, names his wife Abigail; daughter Hannah; daughter Mary, the wife of Henry Brown; son Ashbel; daughters Abigail, Lucy, Rachel and Alithca; his four grandchildren, children of his son Asbhel by Bridget, who was also deceased, who were Henry Wells, Lucy Wells, Benoni Chaucer Wells, and Harriet Wells, all under 21 years of age; the residue to be divided among his sons James, Erastus, and Shipley Wells. The will names his wife Abigail and son Ashbel as executors. It was witnessed by Jonathan Butler, Samuel Cadwell, and [Ozias?] Gaylord (West Hartford Probate District, Connecticut Estate Files, no docket number, but filed alphabetically).
It was only Ashbel who entered an executor's bond, which he did on 1 June 1807 with Henry Wells of New Haven as surety. No widow's dower is included in the estate papers. The inventory of his estate, submitted on 20 February 1808 by Ashbel Seymour and Zechariah Kelsey, totaled $3,004.61 of which $2,556.94 was real estate. On 10 December 1808, a distribution was made by Ashbel Seymour, Zechariah Kelsey, and Samuel Cadwell. The final administrator's report details cash paid for legacies to Ashbel Wells, Abigail Dwight, Lucy Burrall, Rachel Woodbridge, Alithea Ashmun, Mary Brown, Hannah Pomeroy, Henry Wells, Lucy James, Benoni Chaucer Wells, and Harriet Wells—but not James Wells. A real estate final distribution, dated 10 December 1808, provides land to Henry Wells, Lucy the wife of Daniel James, Benoni Chaucer Wells, Harriet Wells, Ashbel Wells, James Wells, Erastus Wells, and Shipley Wells, and to Asa Benton as guardian for the children of Erastus Wells, deceased (West Hartford Probate District, Connecticut Estate Files, no docket number, but filed alphabetically)."
